An electric bus caught fire after colliding with a bridge on Constellation Drive on Auckland’s North Shore, prompting police to close the overpass and urge motorists and residents to avoid the area.
The bus, operated by Ritchies Transport and not in service at the time, emitted thick chemical-smelling smoke that forced nearby residents indoors.
The incident comes two weeks an electric bus inferno following a crash claimed the life of one person in Parnell, Auckland.
A bystander told legacy media smoke coming from the fire was “difficult to breathe” and “the smell was thick… it appeared to be plastic or chemical in nature.
Fire crews from Takapuna, Albany, and Greenhithe quickly contained the blaze, confirming all occupants were safely evacuated. Auckland Transport closed the Constellation Bus Station and diverted several Northern Busway routes while engineers assess structural damage to the bridge.
SH1 NORTHERN MOTORWAY, NORTHBOUND – EMERGENCY SERVICES INCIDENT- 1:35PM, SUN 2 NOV
There is an emergency services incident on the Northern Busway. The Constellation Drive station is closed, traffic in the area is congested but all Northern Motorway lanes are open. ^KF pic.twitter.com/jzPMrsOXJ4
— NZ Transport Agency – Auckland & Northland (@nztaaklnth) November 2, 2025
Mark my words. These electric buses are death traps and an accident with multiple passenger fatalities is inevitable because some beaurocrat clown insists he can change the climate by using them.
Exactly
I won’t ride in electric anything
Ditto and ditto.
These things are only disasters waiting to happen. Climate change and EVs be dammed before we are all aflame in the land of no return…
Mobile death traps
NO NO you have it all wrong electric buses are wonderful because the govt tells us.
Just another example of how far we have slipped no longer thinking for our selves we are in a time in the west now as China was under Mau.
Auckland Transport’s electric bus rollout—including 248 vehicles—has cost ratepayers indirectly through long-term contracts and infrastructure investment, but the exact figure attributable to ratepayers is not publicly itemized. However, one major contract offers a partial glimpse: a $1.068 billion, nine-year deal with Ritchies Transport includes 175 new electric buses and was described as delivering “strong value for ratepayers”.
Looks more like a millstone around the necks of Auckland ratepayers
But that’s an open cheque book
If those numbers are correct, thats only $6m per bus. Sounds like a bargain
That was AI
Co Pilot
Notice how both of these stories about electric bus crashes have been taken down by mainstream media. Doesn’t fit into their narrative.
Ritchies getting richer, but does not have scheduled routes in and out of Rotorua to Auckland, etc. ; only ‘charters’ from what I researched…!
https://www.greyhound.com/company/about
https://www.greyhound.com/
https://www.greyhound.com.au/
Virtuous smoke signals.